Ukraine's first president Leonid Kravchuk, who helped usher in the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union 25 years ago, told a Washington audience that Ukraine's leaders today must find a similarly peaceful resolution of the separatist conflict in the east.

Following the disappearance of 12 people over a three-week period this fall, people in Daghestan have begun to ban together to protest the continuing cycle of abductions of young people, often later found dead or not at all, by armed, masked men. (in Russian, Current Time TV)

RFE/RL’s investigative program “Schemes” has found that despite an official ban on direct flights between Ukraine and Russia, Viktor Medvedchuk, Ukraine’s representative to a subgroup of the Minsk process on humanitarian aid, whose godfather is Russian President Vladimir Putin, flies nonstop. (in Ukrainian)

Three years after the Euromaidan protests, analysts acknowledge major improvements in Ukraine, but also increasing public dissatisfaction with the slow progress of reforms and the lack of accountability for crimes committed under the previous regime. (in Ukrainian)

Speaking to RFE/RL, Alexander Vorobiev, the mayor of the Crimean city of Henichesk, denied claims that he allegedly called Russian President Vladimir Putin to ask for additional gas supplies for residents, but said that for thousands of innocent victims on all sides, and for raising his hand against “a brotherly nation,” Putin is worse than Judas. (over 120K views on Russian Service website)